How to Boil Okra: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

FAQs

How long to cook okra in boiling water? ›

Place okra in a saucepan; add enough water to cover the okra and salt to taste; bring the water to boil. Cover the pan and cook eight to 10 minutes or until the okra is tender. Drain well and, if desired, toss with a little butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add Acid. Lemon juice, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, or a splash of wine will not only add depth to your recipe, but it will also lower your slime quotient. A vinegar bath also does wonders to reduce the slimy consistency. Before cooking, soak the pods in vinegar for 30 minutes to help break up and dissolve the slime.

Step 1: Boil the okra

Place the sliced okra in a small saucepan, and cover with water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce the heat. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 7 to 10 minutes or until the okra is tender.

Be careful to not overcook the okra, as this will make it slimy and mushy.

Place the okra in a jar or a large bowl and cover it with water. Refrigerate and let it sit overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Picking okra should be done when the pods are 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) long. If you leave them too long, the pods get hard and woody. Once you're done picking okra, store them in plastic bags in your refrigerator where they will last about a week or freeze the pods if you have too much to use.

Watering. Okra can tolerate dry conditions; however, watering may be necessary during extended dry periods. Moisture is especially important during flowering and pod development. During prolonged dry periods, a deep soaking once every seven to 10 days with 1 to 1.5 inches of water should be adequate.

Pro tip: add a little baking soda to your okra if you want it to “draw” more.

Okra is low in calories but packed full of nutrients. The vitamin C in okra helps support healthy immune function. Okra is also rich in vitamin K, which helps your body clot blood. Antioxidants are natural compounds that help your body fight off molecules called free radicals that can damage cells.

Okra is a nutritious food with many health benefits. It's rich in magnesium, folate, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, K1, and A. Okra may benefit pregnant women, heart health, and blood sugar control. It may even have anticancer properties.

How do you get the slime out of okra fast? ›

One popular way to reduce okra's sliminess is to "soak it in vinegar for 30 minutes [before cooking with it], which helps to break up and dissolve the slime," says food scientist, food industry consultant, and author Bryan Le.

The cooking time for boiling okra can vary depending on the size and freshness of the pods. Generally, it takes about 10-15 minutes for the okra to become tender when boiled.

The short answer is no, you don't have to soak it before cooking, but some recipes suggest soaking the okra in a vinegar mixture to reduce sliminess. To soak okra, pour 125ml (1/2 cup) vinegar into a bowl. Add 500g okra (the ratio of vinegar to okra is 125ml vinegar to every 500g okra). Turn the okra to coat.

Okra water is an infused beverage made by soaking okra pods in water overnight. The drink is thought to offer health benefits like reducing blood sugar levels, supporting weight loss, and improving digestion.

The okra should be browned and crisp at the edges and will have shrunk in size.

Rinse the okra under cool water for a few seconds, as you would pretty much any vegetable. Put the okra into boiling, lightly salted water. Take it out when it's a little bit soft.